Graduation for young unemployed in Burnett

A group of 17 young people from Gayndah, Biggenden and Mundubbera will graduate tomorrow from a State Government funded Get Set for Work project.

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said Community Employment Options organised the project thanks to a $114,000 grant from the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.

“Projects like this assist young people, aged 15 to 17, who have disengaged from school or are thinking about it,” Mr Mickel said.

“Keeping these people engaged and on track to employment is very important because the transition from student to worker is not easy and can lead to long-term unemployment.

“With the Queensland Government placing a priority in 2009 on keeping unemployment down and creating jobs, we need to encourage and assist young people into the workforce.”

Community Employment Options Site Coordinator Judith Harvey said a variety of training and activities were available through the project.

“Some of the group completed a barista course, there was also accredited training to earn a Certificate I in Business and the training for the construction blue card was very well received,” Ms Harvey said.

“Two of our participants have found full-time work, another three are in part-time roles and many more are returning to school or heading into further training. It is great to see so many of them doing so well.

“For young people it is also important they learn how to work safely as well as how to handle situations like an angry customer which they wouldn’t have faced before.”

The graduation will be held at 10:00am Wednesday December 17 at 16 Capper Street, Gayndah.

During 2008/09 the Queensland Government will invest $80 million in the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to give an estimated 15,000 long-term unemployed and underemployed people job related assistance and skills training to maximise labour force participation and increase Queensland's prosperity.

Twelve months after receiving assistance 71 per cent of participants are in employment or further training.

The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is part of the State Government’s $1 billion Queensland Skills Plan which aims to provide individuals and industry with the skills and workforce for the 21^st Century.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work supports the Government’s Toward Q2 vision of a fairer, stronger Queensland.

For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925.

Contact: Community Employment Options Site Coordinator Judith Harvey on

4140 8867 or jharvey@employment.org.au

Ministerial contact: 3235 4060

December 16, 2008